Northern Ireland is set to be invaded by swarms of flying ants in the coming days and weeks, it is feared.

It’s not just sun-worshippers who have been basking in the warm weather as pest control service Rentokil said it also means the annual flight of ants is imminent.

Rentokil also said that the early summer and mild winter have caused the wasp population to dramatically increase.

They have received an astonishing 55% more callouts relating to wasp infestations in the UK and Ireland this year, compared to the same period in 2015.

The flying ants’ flight is their mating ritual and we can expect to see them appear to suddenly leave the colony together in one coordinated flight, alongside those from neighbouring colonies, Mirror.ie reports.

Flying ants, also known as black garden ants, can start to forage for food as early as January but they only really become a nuisance to the public once they leave their colonies in swarms during the summer months.

Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant at Rentokil, gave his top tips for how you can avoid flying ants invading your home.

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He said: “The majority of black garden ants come in to your home to forage for food, in particular sweet and sticky substances.”

He advised that you should cover food and clear up any spills straight away, as well as removing scraps and crumbs from under appliances.

He also said that animal lovers should always empty their pet’s food bowl and wash it out.

It is key to seal the lids of rubbish bins and any access points, such as cracks in doors and window frames.

He busted some common myths about getting rid of ant colonies, saying boiling water is only a temporary solution and vinegar doesn’t kill them either, it just confuses them.

He rubbished the notion that feeding ants grains will cause them to explode as he said they don’t actually eat solids.

When it comes to wasps, Rentokil said that if you see large numbers of them it’s likely there’s a nest nearby.

They said wasp numbers are sharply rising as the milder weather means a higher survival rate of queens, which means more colonies.

The good weather means that they will have more food sources available to them too.

Rentokil has warned never to try and remove a wasp nest yourself as they could contain thousands of wasps.

If you try to tackle a nest yourself your run the risk of being stung, which can be extremely painful and even trigger an allergic reaction.